Triune Man in Two Dominions Part 2: Man, the Spirit

I. Introduction

A. This  is a continuation of the the Triune Man in Two Dominion Bible Study, introduced by my last blog.  This blog will focus upon the spiritual nature of mankind. We will discuss certain Bible passages that deal with the creation of mankind as a spiritual being.

For too long,  we have allowed the concept that Adam, both male and female was created solely in some physical form. We are reminded by the scriptures that state that when God breathed the spirit of life into the body of Adam, it was then he was created as a living soul.  (Genesis 2:7)  Therefore with out the Creators breath  of life, no living soul can exist. (Job 12:10) .  Also God when he chose to create mankind he decided to be by these parameters:

        a) The first Man would be created after His Image
        b) The first Man would be created after His likeness.
           (Genesis 1:26)

From these two parameters God proceeded to create the first being of Mankind.  So the questions are: What is the image of God and what is the likeness of God?  Let us look up the word "image" from a English dictionary and from  the word in the Hebrew dictionary that was translated into the English word "image":

        a) Dictionary.com's definition of the word "image": (noun); a physical likeness or representation of a 
          person, animal, or thing, photographed, painted, sculptured, or otherwise made visible.

        b) James Strong's Hebrew Bible Dictionary definition of the word "image": translated from the Hebrew             word  "tslem", pronounced "tsch'-lem": to shade in resemblance as a representation of a figure.

With these two corresponding definitions we now understand that God created the first man as a physical representation of Himself. The first man therefore was made physically in the "god class"  in that the first man looked like God. So what does the word likeness mean?

         a) Dictionary.com's definition of the word "likeness": (noun); a representation, picture, or image

         b) James Strong's Hebrew Bible Dictionary definition of the word "likeness" translated from the
         Hebrew word "dmuwth" pronounced "dem-ooth'":  a resemblance, a model,  derived from the
         Hebrew root word "damah" pronounced "daw-maw" : to behave like.

Again with these two corresponding definitions we further understand that God created the first man to be like Him.  The first Man created was made to look like God and act like God.  This tells us that whatever constitution the first man was, it was a direct reflection of what God looks like and acts like.  Now the Bible also states that a man has a spirit, a soul and  a body. (1 Thessalonians 5:23). In other words, a man is triune in his constitution, his make up.  Since each man is a direct reflection of God, God is also triune in his constitution.

So what happened? What transpired in the Garden of Eden can now be seen in a new completely light, For God did not originally create mankind  as a fallen and sinful being, a sub-citizen of creation. He created the first man after his shape and form and gave him his attitudes and behaviors. He made the first man guardian and caretaker of Eden and gave him dominion over creation. God made the first man as a direct reflection of Himself and expected the first man to behave as such. God named the first man, Adam and the first privilege he gave Adam, the first man was an identification test,  God presented Adam with all the animals of creation and Adam named them all. God looked at the Man he created and desired to give to Adam what he gave to Himself, a companion. So from the rib of  Adam came the woman, made in the image and reflection of the first man,  a companion suitable and fit for him (Genesis 2) God gave Adam, the first man who was asexual, that  is that Adam was both male and female a commandment to obey. However, due to the deception of Satan, they failed to obey and became sinners. In that day, Adam and his wife spiritually died. God went looking for them in the Garden, being afraid they hid themselves.  The male Adam came forth  after the voice of God called for them.  Immediately God saw that they were exposed, and spiritually dead and had disobeyed his commandment. (Genesis 3) God wanted to know why did Adam disobey his commandment. When the reasons were given, God immediately doled out upon Adam and Satan the punishments for their actions.  After the fall the male Adam named the female Adam, Eve so that we would know until this very day that Eve is the mother of all living souls. From that time until the arrival of Jesus, the Christ. Mankind  has been spiritually dead, yet were still living souls because of the breathe of the Spirit was still in them. Adam had become a naturally oriented being, ignorant of the spiritualness that he once possessed, until Jesus.

Now Jesus is the most direct reflection of God that was ever born among men, for Jesus is the Son of God. (Hebrew 1: 1-4; 1 John 1:1; John 1:1-3,14).  It is Jesus that disclosed the fact that God is Spirit, not a Spirit, but  the Spirit of Creation (John 4:24). To which it was revealed to the Apostle Paul that Jesus was also, the second male Adam, whose orientation was not of the physically and natural world but of the power of the life giving creation  ability of the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 15:45-49).  It is now that all mankind can bear the image of the Son of God and be restored to that position of spiritual power and authority once lost In the Garden of Eden by the first man, Adam. This only makes us conclude that if God is a Spirit, then those who have chosen Christ as Lord and Savior are also life giving Spirits of creation.(Roman 8:18-23; John 1:12+13; 1 John 3:2) This is why I say that if Jesus's blood atoned for every souls sins all the way back to the first sin ever committed, then every soul that accepts Jesus's death on the cross as the atonement of their sins is therefore restored to the place of spiritual power and authority once given to to the first man, Adam. Mankind has been restored because of Christ's sacrifice and reconciled us back to communion with the Creator.(2 Corinthians 5:17)  The problem is that no one has ever figured out what this restored man is supposed to do, as a result we have our modern world. spiritually ignorant of what God wants them to do, going their own ways like lost sheep.  Be of good cheer, God has not left us directionless, he has allowed the recording of his words and deeds in a book. The Bible. Therein we find the actions of Jesus, the Son of God while he was yet on the earth.  It is this Jesus that tells us to follow him, to believe on him and bear all our hopes of entering heaven upon him.  For there is no other way to the Father, God in heaven, except by him, the Son of God.

B. Man, the Spirit as revealed by Christ's actions and words on the earth gives every believer in Christ the basis of their spiritual power and authority. There are a few things that we as believers in Christ, who has accepted the power of the life giving creative Spirit of God, have to be aware of.  For a baby playing with a loaded gun is not only a danger to himself but all nearby.  That is the plight of many believers, they have the power and authority but don't know how to use it. Many times causing injury, even death unto themselves and those near to them.(1 Timothy 1:19+20; 2 Peter 3:16+17).  So it is important that we observe the following listed behaviours exhibited by our Lord and instructed by the Apostles so that we may not find our spiritual lives distinguished.

1. One of the things a spiritual man does is maintain his communion with God. Jesus did this often. He either prayed in private or publicly but one thing is clear he always communed with God.

2. The choice of words we speak.  Our articulation is that to reflect the honor and the majesty of God

      a. Words possess spiritual power.  With them we can bring life and with them we can cause death.
          (Proverbs 18:21; Matthew 12:36; James 3:1-12)  So we have to be judicious with the words we
          choose to speak and be aware of the quality of them.  For with words we loose  and bind the powers
          of the spiritual world. (Matthew 16:18, 18:19).  In short, we just can not say anything to anybody
          without it coming back to us in different and brutal ways. We reap what we sow and eat the fruit of
           what our lips speak.(Galatians 6:8-10)

      b. Our words are waited upon by the Angels of heaven and Darkness, to do our biding according to the
          will of God. (Matthew 26:53; Hebrews 1:13+14) Remember whatever Christ possessed we too now
          possess in him. (Romans 8:16+17).  If he could call forth legions of angels, could not we also under
          the will and power of God?  This is precisely the point.  Many believers have called many angels of
          God and of Satan to do things without knowing it, all because they do not know what spirit they are
           of.(Luke 9:51-56; Galatians 5:13-18)

3. A spiritual man must possess the compassion of God. Now this is not just compassion for compassion sake. This is compassion based upon the realization of the the spiritual condition of the soul of which the compassion is being directed to.  Jesus's compassion toward others was reflected in his kindness toward children, widows and those left destitute by the religious community. He did so because they were applying the letter of the law of God to the lives of the people and not the spirit of the Law. What was the spirit of the Law?  In a word, reconciliation.  The law wasn't just given to Israel to obey.  It was God showing them that they could not reconcile themselves to Him.  The Law represented the righteousness and holiness of God and for someone to be able to keep them and be sinless was a great accomplishment. Why? Because all men since the Garden of Eden were spiritually dead and full of disobedience.  This is why Jesus challenged the young rich man who claimed that he had observed the law since his youth and was blessed financially for doing so, to give away all that he possessed and come and follow him, because the young rich man was possessed by his wealth and was selfish.  God is not selfish, he shares his abundance with us each an everyday, if the young rich man did as the Lord Jesus had bidden him he would have discovered what Zacchaeus discovered. The true riches of life. (Matthew 19:16-22, 29; Luke 19:2-10) So a spiritual man in Christ directs his compassion toward those who are without and if he has the resources, does something about it (Proverbs 3:27,  Luke 6:38). The point is that, Zacchaeus was following the instructions of Jesus and he was just as blessed as the young rich ruler that "kept" the Law from his youth.  (Matthew 16:25) Zaccheaeus wealth was obtained through his compassion and generosity, the young rich ruler obtained his wealth by obedience to the Law, not by the compassion of God.

4. A spiritual sensitive man knows the spiritual landscape he finds himself in.  Jesus knew that he was in a world full of dead spirits with living souls. Today, thankfully because of Christ and what he provided to those who desire to obtain salvation, that has changed a bit. A spiritual man today must be aware that he lives in a world full of  dead and living spirits with living souls  Living souls that are reckless with the spiritual power that has been restored to them.  He also lives in a world full of devils and angels all running around doing whatever these living souls bid them by the will of God.

         a. Devils, demons and fallen angels do what ever it takes to get a believer to give them power to
             destroy his own life and abdicate his authority over them.  They will do whatever it takes to lure a
             believer into doubt and unbelief and ultimately back into a sins conscious life.  Why because they
             hate believers in God, particularly those who are Christians. They hope that the believer will fall for
             their deceptions and temptations and cast off their hope of salvation.  So that they will end up in Hell              and the lake of fire with them, being tormented for all eternity. Their hope is fruitless for Jesus has
             guaranteed salvation for the most moral of sinners to the least and the worst of sinners that believe in              Christ will still be saved.

         b. Angels are ministers of God who serve those who are to inherit salvation in Christ. They will do                    everything within the will of God for the benefit of the believer and the glory of God. They carry the                hope of the Creator of  eternal reconciliation with his his creation. Their hope is not wasted, for
             Christ has won redemption for all of mankind through the sacrifice of himself upon the cross and
            whosoever believes in Christ and submits to him as lord and savior will become a new spiritual man,
            a new Adam.

         c.  Living Souls are the human members of the earth. they are divided into two groups. Christians and
             non-christians.  Because of what Christ has done, all living souls have the power to speak things into              existence, build new societies and do all sorts of things to satisfy their own lusts and desires or the
            will of God. It is therefore the challenge of every believer to convey in word and deed as wells as in                 the proclamation of the Gospel to every non-believer about the thing that Jesus has done for us. Or               each living soul that has not accepted the Gospel message will spend an eternity in Hell and the                    Lake of fire.

This is what, man, the spirit has to contend with and he can deal with it if remains in communion with God, through prayer, humility and compassion.  In doing so, a Christian spiritually sensitive man must protect and establish four areas in his life in order to survive: 1)  The fellowship of the saints; 2) The ministry of the word; 3) The Knowledge of God and his Kingdom; 4) His prayer life.  It is with these four areas, pillars a believer in Christ will live to his fullest in the obedience to the will God.






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Triune Man in Two Dominions part 1: Introduction and Background

I. Introduction:

A.  What we are about to embark upon is very complicated and is still being learned by many.  It is the illustration  and hopefully demonstration of what a human being, a man's, constitution is in relation to the two dominions in which he interacts with each day.  What follows in this section is the background information.  I must encourage you to study out whatever back ground information I share in this bible study as I go through various related issues. So that you the reader will know the direction of the study and lay a good foundation for understanding the points conveyed in this series.  This study will consist of five separate blogs, each covering a specific area of the subject matter. These separate blog titles are:  Part 1: Introduction and Background; Part 2: Man, the Spirit; Part 3: Man, the Soul; Part 4: Man, the Body; Part 5: The Two Dominions.  Again I must stress this study is quite extensive and any part can stand on its own as a Bible study. So take your time, read enjoy and if there is any part you disagree with, that is fine, like I said in the first line, this subject is still being learned by many, which also includes me.  Now why am I teaching something I haven't completely learned about.  It is because this subject matter is developing and no one person on earth completely understands the human condition, which is fickle and complex at best. The closest we will come to understand about it is the fact that God created mankind and has dealt with his creation for thousands of years and have documented his dealings with mankind in the Bible.  From which we learn about God and about ourselves.

B. Before we dive into the the first part that deals with spiritual side of mankind, it would be prudent for me to supply some background information about the subject matter.  Get ready, we are going on a trip through various biblical concepts and teaching that is the foundation of this whole study.  There are some points and concepts that will not have scriptural sources,  but many points will have biblical sources, it is here that I challenge the reader to study to show thyself approved and determine if it is agreeable or disagreeable. If it is disagreeable to you, you can cite your reason in your comments to this blog.  I go through my blogs every month to see what feed back I receive from it.  I do not shy away from criticism as long as its constructive. Prejudice and ignorance will be addressed and confronted all in the name of christian love. Enough about that lets get on with it.

C. We must start at the beginning to have a good foundation for this Bible study into the triune nature of mankind in two dominions. First of all we must understand that two dimensions of life have existed ever since the earth was created. They are the Spiritual and the Natural dimensions. The Spiritual dimensions is made up of God, Heaven, His Angels and Satan, Outer Darkness, and His Angels (Devils). The Natural dimension is made up of nature, Mankind, his activities and designs upon the earth that God created.  How did the arrangement got this way is another bible study, but you can pause here and study that out before going further.  It would take up too much time to discuss how the arrangement of the Spiritual and Natural dimensions came to be and would change  the focus of the study which is the nature of triune man in two dominions. Heck we didn't even cracked the surface yet. Anyway, it is evident that since the beginning that both dimensions have been intertwined together. This is because of the relationship the two dimensions have with each other through two parallel dominions: The Kingdom of God and Outer Darkness.  The two dimensions are reflective in that Earth is an reflection of what Heaven is and at certain points and at certain times, the earth it is also the reflection of Outer Darkness.  It is not a complete picture it is only a reflection, to give mankind an idea of what both dimensions are like. Saying that, we therefore must understand that the same rules that governs Heaven and Outer Darkness also governs the earth and visa versa. (Matthew 18:18+19)

This blog is an invitation to those who wish to study or hear another view point about our nature that was designed by God.  If you, dear reader, accept the invitation then go on and read the other four blogs concerning Triune man in Two Dominions.